Spread love after Las Vegas tragedy

Concerts, among many other public events, are meant to be inviting, carefree environments. People aren’t meant to lay frozen on the ground or run for their lives in order to escape bullets.

The U.S. is hurting.

Heartbroken by the tragedy in Las Vegas, concerts, plays, public speeches, movie theaters and other events no longer have a welcoming appeal to the public. Where does the line end?

This isn’t a time to debate gun control or race; this is the time to mourn as a nation. The people who died, the injured, and their loved ones who are racked with worry deserve to be faced with love, not an argument.

Las Vegas is the capital of entertainment. I have walked the strip countless times and gazed in awe at the unique infrastructure. But I don’t think I can step foot on the strip again without feeling like there’s weight on my shoulders.

No one goes to a concert thinking, “I wonder if I will get shot today?” And no one should have to.

I wasn’t in Las Vegas when 58 people were killed and hundreds were transported to hospitals. I don’t have room to say I was terrified of the bullets that zipped past individuals because I wasn’t there. But whether you were there or not, this moment in history affects all of us.

Although this country has endured countless mass shootings, we have always been a country united in love and service.

Be there and offer support for those hurting at this time. Donate blood if you are able to and spread love. This country needs it.

Markee Heckenliable
- Markee Heckenliable is the Editor-in-Chief of the Dixie Sun News, an intern for the St. George Health & Wellness Magazine, and an avid coffee drinker. Follow her on Twitter @markeekaenews or Facebook at facebook.com/markeekaenews.